Rural mailbox signal



' A96 271 HThom as /7 z4 4 Z0B X,

S. H. THOMAS RURAL MAILBOX SIGNAL Flled March 50 1951 May 26, 1953 Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RURAL MAILBOX SIGNAL Seth H. Thomas, Rochester, Ind. Application March 30, 1951, Serial No. 218,491

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved signal of extremely simple construction for use with rural mailboxes and has for a primary object to provide a signal capable of being mounted for operation in conjunction with a rural mailbox without being directly connected thereto thereby eliminating the necessity of forming openings in or otherwise defacing the metal mailbox.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal which will assume a position below the mailbox when in an operative, signalling position so that the signal may be readily seen from any direction.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a signal including angularly disposed sides to enable the signal to be more readily seen from any desired direction and which sides are so disposed as to be completely concealed by the mailbox when the signal is in an inoperative, non-signalling position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal which is swingably disposed relatively to a mailbox and so supported as to have no sliding contact therewith so that the mailbox will not be marred or damaged by the signal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal for use with conventional mailboxes having a horizontally hinged downwardly swinging door or closure at one end thereof and wherein a part of the signal is disposed to be en aged by the door or closure when the latter is swung to an open position for displacing the signal downwardly to an operative, signalling position below the level of the mailbox bottom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal wherein the preponderance of the weight thereof is so distributed that the signal will maintain an inoperative position without the use of latch means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal which may be moved simultaneously with the mailbox closure to a non-signalling position as the closure is closed, which operation can be readily accomplished with one hand, leaving the other hand of the user free to hold mail or other articles removed from the mailbox.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front end of a conventional rural mailbox showing the signal associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof looking from right to left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing for the purpose of illustrating the application and use of the improved signal, designated generally 5 and comprising the invention, the front end portion of a conventional rural mailbox is illustrated in the drawin and designated generally 6 and is shown mounted in a conventional manner on a supporting base I which is suitably secured in substantially a horizontal position on the upper end of an upright supporting post 8. The rural mailbox 6 is provided with the usual open front end S which is closed by a vertically swinging door In which is hingedly connected at its lower end to the sides of the mailbox adjacent its bottom by aligned pivot elements II which form a horizontal pivot for the door H] which swings downwardly and outwardly of the open front of the mailbox moving from a closed position to an open position, in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1. The door In at its upper. free end is provided with the usual spring latch I: by which the door is retained in a closed position and which is provided with an upstanding handle portion l3 by means of which the door is manually moved to and from its closed position. The parts 6 to Hi, previously described are of conventional construction and represent a conventional mounting of a rural mailbox and have been illustrated and briefly described to aiiord a better understanding of the signal 5, hereinafter to be described in detail.

The signal 5 constitutes a single member preferably formed of sheet metal or other substantially rigid sheet material having two substantially flat sections [4 and [5 which are disposed at substantially a right angle to one another. The section I4 is substantially yoke-shaped and is provided with two legs [6 and H. The leg I6 is disposed at one end of the section l4 and said section i5 is formed integral with and projects from said end of the section [4 but remote to the leg or extension I 6 which constitutes the lower part of said end of the section 14. The leg I6 is preferably slightly longer than the leg I! and is provided adjacent its terminal with a bearing opening l8 for receiving a headed driven fastening [9 which extends inwardly therethrough and which is driven into one side edge of the base I, below the bottom of the mailbox 6 and adjacent the open end of said mailbox. A washer 20 is preferably interposed between the base I and leg 16 to space the section I4 from the adjacent side of the mailbox 6 and to prevent wear on the base I. The leg I6 is journaled on the fastening l9 and has sufficient loose engagement with the washer 20 to permit the signal 5 to swing readily between its inoperative, full line position of Figure 1 and its operative, dotted line position of said figure. As seenin Figure. l whenthe leglfi is in anupright- 'positidh and; thei section, 125* is disposed""'ag"aiiist' or" substantially against the outer side of the closure ID, the lower end of the leg I! will terminate preferably slightly above the base 1. With the signal 5 in this, its li i s;v position of Figure 1, it will be noted that the pivot provided by the fastening I9 is located nearth'e" end of the section Hi from which the section I 5 projects whereas a substantial portion of the section It including the leg I1 is located a considerable distance to the leftibf the pivot [9, a seen inlii r .1 Wh reas only-a; limit POItiQHEQfF the section Hi andthe;entiresection. l5;'arei located to the right of the pivot 1,9 and: relatively, close to: the vertical center; of; the; pivot. Accordingly,

theweightof; thepoltiarr-ofthesignal 5.;1ocated to the left-ofthe pivot, Isis adequate, toireadily maintain thesignalin itsfullline inoperative position of; Figure- 1; and which constitutes arnon si alling po it-i n; v

Assuming; that-the signal- 5 is in; full-:line

position of Figure; 11 or its positionas illustrated in F gures 2o anqlofir: withthedoo i Hlclosed; the man-in,- cnenine; the-deceit to ins ikmafl in the box sgwill swingthe closure lflzoutwarde v. nd war. 1. 11, anionic-wise d recti n as 1 n gure; i after whichhe, will: return theclosure; intoitsqelosedposition; However, in en mies-s e clone: ii! he-si n l: 5:;wi1nbe-cans d to- =cloek-w' firomitsfnll lineto-itszdotted ne-pesiti n'of szur ulz aboutathe fast nin i l9 asga pivot duejo theffact that the signal-section i5 disposed in tnepatmorswineing; movement end a Hi o an nen positionso; that it will b6; f ngagedfl bythe door Ill to :be swung :outw 1 i ardzdownwardiy therewith: Accordingly; mailmanreturns the door Ii! to az-closed po on v the signal 5; willn'emain"insitsloperative an iinap ton: as: illustrated in, dot-ted line's in F'gzurel, in.- aidepending; position. with the Ina/jog! portioniof the signal 5' disposedbelotvrthe leyelof-ihe base 11', so;- that; when: the signal 5. is thus disposeditr will" be readily visible from'a distance j in; direction? since" it will 1 be. dispos s below; the;mailbox: andRbase-"i andtne' sections M and; I5 thereof by being disposedat a-rightt angleqt'o one anothera nd inisnbstan tially vertical planesiwill assureithat some part" oi the a signal -Wil. ,j be readily: visible-i fronri'any di- 'rection to; visually indicatethat, mail; hasibeeii placed'in the box 6 The owner of themailb'oiz' after; openingjthe doori It to remove the xriail therefromgreturns closure, in to aclosed posi tion and thereaften swings: the-signed fi upwardl e. in a counterclockwise -direetion"-as5see l basin to its:fuil' line positioni in 'wh-icl position it will be retained due? to the preponderance of the r weight thereofbeing: disposed to the left of its pivot l t; as.- previously pointed outt The si'g' nal when thus disposed will b'e substantially" con":

readily obvious that the signal section l5 may be initially engaged to swing the signal 5 upwardly to its inoperative position simultaneously as the door is returned to a closed position. It will also be noted that the signal does not engage and scrape the body of the mailbox in moving to and from its operative and inoperative positions and the only engagement of the signal with the mailbox is by the signal section l5 bearin the door it While previously signal 5 due to its construction is maintained by gravity in either an operative or an inoperative position, if desired a spring latch member may be provided to more positively hold the signal in an inoperanon -'sig-nailing position. The spring latch member, designated generally 21 includes a strip of relatively resilient metal, one end of which is disposed" against the aforementioned side edge of the base i and secured thereto by driven fasm s122'.., -Tl1lihf$ffi$2 has an: upwardly extending ontwarid oiise't; upperportionifi; proe vidfld' withglo gLitud-inally extending indentations on'i the; outer side thereof jl'orrning longitudinally extending ribs ontheinner side of theilatch strip; which are disposedto ij-rio-tionally bear against-thencee end cf'theleg; IT, as clearly; illustrated in; and 4;, when the signal; 5 is in; anwinopera' 've position: and? by WhiChi irict-ional' engagement-- the signal isjrnore' readily retained in an; inoperative position;

Various 11'1o iiicationsand changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted. to, without departing-from thespirit-ror soopeaof the invention as hereinafter defined by the; appended claims;

I ciaiin as my invention:

l. 511' ilboxisi alfor-use witlra ruralmail bOX;h2Lfi/'il1 a vertically swingableadoor pivoted at its lower end, said sigi'ialzooinprising a sub:- stantially; rig-id; sheet-like ineznbeiy having angularly disposed sections; means pivotally n1ount ingi the signal; beneath and; adjacent the pivot of thfei mailboxdoor for vertical.- swinging movenient between: operativadepending position" I dis-nosed; at one sides of: the mailbox? and outer" contact therewith inaninoperative position and thelotheri section: thereof bl'lflggdiS poseciy infiront of' the mailbox" door, the preponderance of the weight of the Sigl18l&b6illg diS-' posed-entire side {of its; pivot; remote to the section of the: signal which is disposed'v-adjaoent-and in: the. path-,- of opening, movement-,- of. the 'inaih box; door whereby thesignal is: maintained by" gravity? in an inoperative, position.-

on-signal for usewith .asrural mailbox having-1a verticaliyxswingable door pivoted adjacent its 1 bottom edge; said signal consisting cilia-substantially fiatrelativeiy wide 'plat'e, meansmeans being disposed beneath and adiacent tlie doe pivot 4 a relatively wide-E flange projecting asses ment/o1; in'e late at substantially a; ght angle saidone end of the plate, said flange being disposed nearer the pivot than the opposite end of the plate whereby the weight of said opposite plate end will normally maintain the flange against the outer side of the door when the latter is in a closed position to maintain the plate adjacent and substantially parallel to a side of the mailbox in an inoperative, substantially concealed position, the mailbox door engaging the flange when swung downwardly to an open position to cause the signal to swing about its pivot means in the same direction as the door whereby the preponderance of the weight of the signal initially passes over said pivot means and subsequently assumes a position below the pivot means for maintaining the signal in an operative exposed position below the level of the mailbox, said plate being disposed in a vertical plane and said flange being disposed in substantially a vertical plane when the signal is in an operative position.

3. The combination with a rural mailbox having a vertically swinging closure hinged adjacent its bottom edge and a base on which the mailbox is rigidly mounted, of a mailbox signal formed of relatively wide angularly disposed sections, one of said sections forming a door engaging section and being disposed on the outer side of the mailbox door when the latter is in a closed position and in its path of swinging movement to an open position when the signal is in an inoperative, substantially concealed position, the other, second section of the signal being disposed substantially parallel to and spaced outwardly from one side of the mailbox, pivot means pivotally connecting a corner of said second section to the base below and adjacent the door pivot and adjacent said door engaging section, said second section having a portion disposed remote to the pivot means and on the opposite side thereof to said door engaging section whereby the signal is gravity urged to swing in a direction for normally retaining the door engaging section against the door and said second section adjacent the side of the mailbox and above the base, said signal being swung to a depending operative position below the base by a swinging movement of the door downwardly and outwardly to an open position, both sections of the signal being disposed in substantially vertical planes when the signal is in a depending operative position.

4. A mailbox signal as in claim 3, said second section being substantially yoke-shaped and said pivot means engaging one leg thereof disposed adjacent the door engaging section.

SETH H. THOMAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 932,287 Jones Aug. 24, 1909 1,350,515 Payne Aug. 24, 1920 1,527,686 King Feb. 24, 1925 1,895,912 Bowers Jan. 31, 1933 1,949,578 Ott Mar. 6, 1934 2,581,880 Price Jan. 8, 1952 

